Crawling in Space!

In space, no one can hear you dungeon crawl.

Yesterday my copy of Crawljammer #1 arrived. Crawl is a bi-monthly zine "dedicated to fantastical space adventures using the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role-Playing Game system."  Giving this zine a shot was a no brainer. I love Dungeon Crawl Classics, Spelljammer, and gaming zines. 

The first issue has 31 pages chocked full of content. The issue has the foundations for a crawljammer game: rules for adventuring in outer space, ships, and cosmology. It also includes a new class, lizardman mercenary (with 0-level starting occupations). Finally the zine includes the 1st level adventure (pictured on the cover) "Cry Freedom and Let Slip the Bat-Men of Venus." 

All of the content is great and I definitely am going to keep my eye on this zine. If you don't want to run a crawljammer game, the material can still be used in typical DCC game.

I snagged the first issue for 3.95 (shipping included) and it was definitely well worth the price. Even if you don't play DCC, you should check this out.

If you want to mix swords, ray guns, and four-armed martians, then Crawljammer is the zine for you. 

Strange Brew

Anybody that reads my blog regularly will know that I'm a huge fan of Tim Brannan over at The Other Side blog. He's a really nice guy and his content is always fantastic.  His demon, vampire, and witch posts are the best. That's why I'm excited about his current kickstarter, Strange Brew: The Ultimate Witch and Warlock. Originally the kickstarter was just for Pathfinder, but now their will be a Castles and Crusades version too!

"A 256-page, full-color hardback Pathfinder book on witches and warlocks, featuring spells, ritual magic, patrons, covens, familiars, an

Strange Brew: The Ultimate Witch & Warlock contains everything you need to play every kind of witch, warlock, or pythoness you can imagine, detailing an expansive list of new options for use in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. In this fantastic new tome you'll find...

• new alternate classes for the occult
• the warlock base class
• several traditions
• innovative uses for skills
• new feats
• hexes and powers
• dozens of new prestige classes
• class archetypes
• familiars and patrons
• multi-class paths
• hundreds of spells
• ritual magic
• and more—no two witches need ever be the same again!"

I'm not quite sure what will be in the Castles & Crusades version, but considering the content is coming from Tim, I guarantee it will be awesome.

For a mere 25 dollars or more you get pdfs of Strange Brew for Pathfinder and C&C, The Witch for Basic Era Games, a Pathfinder update to the Way of the Witch, The Talented Witch by Owen K.C. Stephens, and The Warlock by Timothy Brannan. By all means, pledge more though. Seriously how can you pass that up?  The project is 75% percent funded and has 12 days left. 

Please support this great project!

Satan's Banjo

As I've previously mentioned, Goodman Game's The Chained Coffin Kickstarter sounds really cool. I won't talk about what the adventure is about (as I've already done that), just want to mention the status of the Kickstarter and the cool additions.

For pledges of 30 dollars or more the adventure has become a boxed set! You get a foil version of The Chained Coffin (and mini-adventure The Rat King's River of Death), and spinning wheel. In addition, there will be a 24 page Almanac of the Shudder Mountains region. This will include a  patron write-up for Ol' Blackloak (an encounter in the adventure), 7 alternate versions of the Bad Lick Beast (the cool looking critter on the adventure's cover), several pages of additional random encounters that can be used during the adventure,  magic of the region, and a bestiary. You can see an outline of the gazetteer here.

There will also be a 0-level funnel adventure set in the Shudder Mountains and another adventure that will bridge the funnel to The Chained Coffin.

The project has a little of two days left and two stretch goals. The next will add 8 additional pages of content to the gazetteer and the last will add a map (which would be really cool to have).

While it doesn't match the old school artwork of DCC, I think the picture I've included with this post sums up the awesomeness that could happen from taking part in this Appalachian inspired adventure. If you need further persuasion to give this project a look, I think this awesome banjo cover of Slayer's Raining Blood will get you in the proper mindset.

Mastermind Monday - Chuck, Ape of A.E.G.I.S.

I posted Chuck on here last year. At some point I accidentally deleted him. I found the write-up on my Tumblr page though, so I thought I'd repost him.

Charles “Chuck” Furook- PL 8

Age: 28

Strength 5*, Stamina 4, Agility 4, Dexterity 4, Fighting 6, Intellect 4, Awareness 3, Presence 1

Advantages

Benefit 1 (A.E.G.I.S. Agent), Defensive Roll 4, Equipment 3, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative 1, Prone Fighting, Quick Draw, Uncanny Dodge

Skills

Athletics 6 (+11), Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+12), Deception 4 (+5), Intimidation 2 (+7), Investigation 4 (+8), Perception 4 (+7), Ranged Combat (Guns) 6 (+10), Stealth 2* (+8), Technology 2 (+6), Vehicles 2 (+6)

Powers

Apelantean Augmentation- Feature 1 [Ability to Swim] (1 Point)

Chimpanzee- Extra Limbs 1 [Prehensile Feet, Innate], Senses [Lowlight Vision, Acute Smell], Shrinking 4 [Innate, Permanent] {10 points}

Equipment (15 Points)

Heavy Revolver [Ranged Damage 4] (8 Points)

Commlink [Feature 1, Communication Link) (1 Point)

Digital Recorder [Feature, Audio and Visual Recording] (2 Points)

Wrist-Comp [tools, Technology] (1 Point)

Highly Adaptable Multi-Tool [Feature::Tool] (2 Points)

Handcuffs [Feature: Restraints] (1 Point)

Offense

Initiative +8

Heavy Revolver +10, Damage 4

Unarmed + 12 , Damage 5

Complications

Not my Jurisdiction: Chuck is from an Earth populated by intelligent apes and monkeys. He’s still trying to get the hang of life among humans.

Prejudice: Despite the fact that he is a highly intelligent and well trained secret agent, Chuck is constantly being underestimated and being brushed off as “just some stupid monkey.”

Languages

English

Defense

Dodge 8*, Parry 8*, Fortitude 8, Toughness 4/8 (with Defensive Roll), Will 8

*Bonuses from Shrinking already factored in.

Power Points

66 Abilities + 11 Powers + 14 Advantages + 18 (36 ranks) Skills + 11 Defenses = 120 Total

Origin: Charles “Chuck” Furook is a native of Earth-Ape, an Earth similar to Earth-Prime, but inhabited by intelligent primates, instead of humans. Chuck followed in his family’s footsteps and became a street cop. He eventually made his way to detective, before being recruited by A.E.G.I.S. (Ape Elite Government Intervention Service). He proved to be an exemplary agent..Eventually he was made A.E.G.I.S. liaison with the Primate Patrol. It was while on a mission with the powered primates that he found himself transported to Earth Prime.

Upon his arrival to Earth-Prime he was picked up by agents of this world’s version of A.E.G.I.S. He spent several months in the organizations custody. For reasons unknown, Chuck and Director Powers hit it off and became friends. After helping the agency out a few times, Powers has even given Chuck probational agent status.

Succubus Sunday Bonus - Succubot (DCC)

I really don't know what inspired this post. I just wanted to do another Dungeon Crawl Classics post and it's Succubus Sunday... somehow this came to mind. One of the fun things about DCC is that you can throw future tech and robots into your game without too much explanation and it's just accepted. That's one of the fun things about Appendix N style adventures. Why is the Succubot in your DCC game? Perhaps she was a companion of Zepes Null-Eleven or  Boratus. But really does it matter why she's there? She a sex robot assassin for gods' sake.

Art by Hajime Sorayama

Aphroditron 969 (aka the Succubot)

Like all androids of her series, Aphroditron 969 is a pleasure bot. Programmed with more than 6 million pleasure subroutines, her owner added a set of wings and a prototype Farnsworth engine that allows her to fly (he was somewhat obsessed with angels). He also installed an illegal reverse life conductor and turned her into an assassin.

He would eventually meet his end by her hands. One night after returning from a mission Aphroditron seduced her master before he could deactivate her 1st Law inhibitor. After draining him, she fled into the neon night of the city.

Eventually she found herself in the strange Known World. She adopted the name Succubot and seeks a worthy companion, leaving a trail of trail of drained men  and women (robosexuality is not prudish) in her wake.

Aphroditron 969, the Succubot: Init +4, Atk slam +4 (1d8); AC 20; HD 3d8+6; hp 25; MV 30', Fly  50' ; Act 1d20; SP drain life, infravision 60', immune to mind-altering spells, heal 2 HP per round; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +6; AL N

Aphroditron 969 can use her drain life ability on any victim she engages in sexual contact with. The target takes 1d20 damage and she heals that amount of HP damage. In addition the victim feels so good during the act that they don't perceive this as damage (unless they're into pain). At the end of the act the victim must make a DC 20 or fall unconscious for 2d6 hours.

Succubus Sunday

Succubus by Nevina

Succubus by Niking

Monster 10 - succubus by myrmirada

Succubus by Arxfatal

The Lost Princes (DCC)

Groundlings originally appeared in one of the 2nd edition Forgotten Realms monster books, not sure which one. I first encountered them in the 3.0 Monsters of Faerun. They are monstrous humanoids created by Zhent magic-users. They were created by mixing dwarven stock with giant badgers. This is cool and all, but I want to expand it and take them out of the Realms.

Baldr-Vil (or more commonly Groundlings)

Nearly three centuries ago the greedy wizard Zhen-tar sought to take the riches of the dwarven kingdom of Kalduran. To aid him in his task he needed the perfect assassins. He wanted a strong breeding stock and found it when he encountered the kingdom's young princes, training with the king's guard in the nearby forest.  The evil magic-user used his abilities to subdue the warriors and ferry them to his laboratory. There they were subjected to tortures to break their wills and magic to warp them into the first Baldr-Vil (Dwarven for "lost princes"). The victim of their first assassination was the king himself. During the funeral Zhen-tar appeared before the crowd of mourning citizens and revealed the true nature of the king's assassins. This would prove to be his undoing, as the Hells know no fury like a grieving dwarven mother and widow.

The queen rallied her people and a nearby clan of gully dwarves. The combined dwarven army scoured the land and eventually found Zhen-tars hidden lair. Their master slain the surviving baldr-vil (as the dwarves named them) fled. The queen could not bring herself to have the creatures hunted.

Baldr-vil can breed with dwarves and the offspring have a 90% to be born baldr-vil. The original "clan" were all male, though females have been born since Baldr-vil tend to avoid dwarves. However, their voracious appetite for flesh often brings them into conflict with the halfings, elves, and humans (who call them groundlings).

Baldr-vil: Init +1, Atk bite +4 melee (1d8) or 2 claws (1d4/1d4); AC 16; HD 3d6; hp 15; MV 30'; Act 1d20; SP burrow, drag, dwarf blood; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will -1; AL C

Baldr-vil can burrow through the ground effectively gaining a swim speed equal to their movement through dirt and most stone. Their prefered tactic is to use this abilitly to sneak up on opponents and burst forth from the earth, making surprise attacks.

If a baldr-vil can hit an  medium or smaller opponent with both claws attacks it can drag the victim into the ground at the end of the round. Creatures pulled into these tunnels can only attack with small or natural weapons (at a -2 penalty). The baldr-vil receives +2 to hit the target. On his turn a victim may take an action to make a strength skill check (DC 20) to climb out of the tunnel.

Despite their magically warped nature, baldr-vil are still dwarves.

The Shadowfell

Wednesday I picked up the 4E Shadowfell boxed set (still sealed) for 14 bucks at Half-Price Books. I don't really play much 4E (or any for the past year), but I still occasionally pick up the books when I find them at good prices. This is one of the books I've really wanted to look at. While I am a Planescape fan, one of my favorite parts of 4E was the cosmology. The idea that the Shadowfell and Feywild were reflections of the prime material plane was a really cool to me. Plus the Shadowfell had real character. The negative energy plane was just there, the Shadowfell seems more alive (intentional ironic statement). 

The boxed set itself is nice. There's a campaign guide (mainly focusing on the city of Gloomwrought and it's inhabitants), an encounters book, a poster map of the city (that can be flipped over for a battle mat), two pages of thick monster tokens, and a despair deck (which is an easy way to deal with the affects the plane has on visitors).

I enjoy the product overall. The box itself is basically a glorified slip case with a lid, but other than that I have no real complaints. Though Ravenloft isn't named, the demiplanes of dread and dark powers are mentioned in passing. There's some really good setting info here and personally I think I'd like to see Gloomwrought and the Shadowfell in my 5E game.

Card Hunter

I've started playing a new online game, Card Hunter. The "fremium" online game is a ccg/rpg/tactics game hybrid. I call it fremium because the game itself is free to play, but some of the bells and whistles are micro transactions within the game.

The game was created by some of designers of Irrational Games (the makers of Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite). Richard Garfield (the creator of Magic: The Gathering) was a consultant. The game is a mock table top. You and your friend Gary, are playing through Gary's brother Melvin's Card Hunter modules. The screens in between the modules look like classic D&D modules and there are many nods. For example, your first adventure takes place in Village of Omelet. Between sessions Gary and Melvin have some fun cometary.

The gameplay itself looks like a D&D battlemat with minis. Various dice, sodas, and books can be seen around the board. Each turn you are dealt a hand of cards that you choose your actions from. It's quite simple to pick up, but there's a lot of strategy and some of the fights can be challenging.  You get new cards to use by wearing different equipment, which can be purchased at shops or found as loot, post battle.

I've not been able to play D&D in a while, but this has scratched that itch for me. It's free and you don't have to download anything (just make sure your Real Player is reasonably up to date).

Succubus Sunday

Izel - Barbarian Succubus by HecM

Mama Succubus by andaglas

Succubus by Rebeccablah

Succubus 03 by el-diablero

Shy Succubus by Chandra

The Cloak of Feathers (DCC)

I've been listening to The Sword again. They always put me in a swords and sorcery mood. The video below inspired this post. If some things seem awkwardly worded, that's because I tried to include lyrics in the write up.

I may try to do a few more based on their songs. I definitely recommend The Maiden, The Mother, The Crone. They also have really cool video trilogy, Tres Brujah, Lawless Lands, and Night City.

Brenna, the Witch Queen
Since time immemorial there has been a witch queen. Chosen by the moon goddess and blessed by Lilith, she is a guardian of the balance and the old ways. The current bearer of the title is Brenna of the Quill. She is a fair, yet stern leader. When encountered by those outside of her coven she is typically seen astride a mare of purest white, adorned with her beautiful cloak of feathers. All of who gaze upon her note the sadness in her eyes. Few realize she is slowly dying from a seemingly incurable poison.

Many have fallen for her doleful grace. These individuals often give their all, until there is nothing left, trying to find a cure for her condition. Thus far, none have succeeded.

Brenna, the Witch Queen: Init +3, Atk halberd +2 melee (1d8); AC 13; HD 5d4; hp 20; MV 30'; Act 1d20; SP spellcasting (+10 check), summon succubus 1/Day; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +8; AL N

Spells: Animal Summoning, Ekim's Mystical Mask, Read Magic, Phantasm, Ray of Enfeeblement, Scare, Fly, Runic Alphabet (Fey), Turn to Stone

Silver Chalice
This magical chalice has been an icon of the witch queens for centuries. The queen may choose for it to turn a beverage imbibed into life or death. The drink either heals the drink 4d4 HP or it acts as Black Widow poison. The chalice can only affect an individual once per day.

The Cloak of Feathers
This magical cloak woven from the feathers of owl, raven, peacock, and dove was created by Brenna for her lost lover. It holds a powerful enchantment that grants the wear a +2 to personality and +2 to AC.

The Hood of Quills
Also created for her fallen lover, this magical headdress grants it's wearer a +4 to her caster check.

If both items are worn the caster may cast Nythuul's Porcupine Coat once per day (as with cast 22 spellcheck, duration 10 rounds).

M&M 3E Resources (Latest Update 5-16-16)

I've compiled a list of resources for Mutants and Masterminds 3rd Edition. As I (hopefully) find more things I will continue to update the list. Please note that these are just 3E pdf's, there are plenty of other useful resources online.


Character Sheets
Black and White
Color

Archetypes
Cursed Adventurer and Ex Cape
Dark Emissary and Inhuman Juggernaut
Space Demigod (with Energy Being and Insectoid race templates)

Character Stats
The Atom Family (Freedomverse)
Vortex (Freedomverse) 
Dragoneye (Freedomverse) 
Victor (Freedomverse) 
Xeno (Freedomverse)  
Kid Robot (Freedomverse)
Ultramarine (Freedomverse)
Rocky (Freedomverse)
Mongrel (Freedomverse) 
Princess (Freedomverse)
The Rook (Freedomverse)
Dr. Sin (Freedomverse)
The Cybertribe (Freedomverse)
The Powercorps (Freedomverse) 
Talona (Freedomverse) 
The Black Avenger (Freedomverse) - broken link
Terminus Probot (Freedomverse)
Megaladon (Freedomverse)
The Spectre (DC)
Poison Ivy (DC)
Power Girl (DC) 
Shadow Thief  (DC)
The Joker (DC)
Aquaman (DC)
The Committee (Wild Cards)
Drummer Boy (Wild Cards)
Blindspot and Massive Defender
Nero the Newshound and Ogre Bear
Ruadan and Samson
TitanPrime and U.S. Ape
Velocity Raptor and Virago II
Alien Supermind

Adventures
The Silver Storm (Freedomverse)
Crisis on Christmas (Freedomverse)

Quickstarts
Superboy vs Knockout (DC)
Batman vs Bane (DC)

Other
2nd to 3rd Conversion Notes
DC Hero's Handbook Errata

Third Party
FCBD Super-Special 2014 (Adventure and NPC's)
Elements of Ruin: The Challengers (NPC's)
The Objectivist
Gamemaster - AoV Solo Special
Gingerbread Golem
Megastar - AoH Solo
Super Powered Legends: Mako Shark
Fantastic Heroes Special (Fantasy Archetypes)
Drone Disasters
Enemy Strike File: Stunt Double

Succubus Sunday

Succubus by mlappas

Succubus by MirkAnd89

succubus by bigmac996

succubus by ErikVonLehmann

Gully Dwarves (with DCC stats)

Gully dwarves, I love the buggers. Also known as Clan Aghar, they are unique to the Dragon Lance setting. They are one of Krynn's four dwarven subraces, the other being the mountain dwarves, hill dwarves, and the dark dwarves (evil darkness dwelling mountain dwarf off-shoot). Instead of lands of their own, they dwell in ruins, sewer systems, and city slums. They tend to be stupid and dirty. Most gully dwarves can't count above 2, though a few geniuses can count to three. However, despite this, they are perpetually cheerful, prideful, and have strong survival instincts.  No one is positive where they came from though most believe they were created by breeding between dwarves and gnomes.

 I've played one before (during the 3rd era). He was Nup (a play on my nickname, Pun), gully dwarf barbarian and cooker. He rescued an injured Knight of Solomnia and nursed him back to health. The knight made a comment that the food he made wasn't half bad. Nup decided if it was only part bad, that meant it was part good. He would travel the world to make his food all good and be the best cooker in the world. I had a lot of fun with Nup. I sacrificed my already few skill points and put them in craft (cooking). I was already at a disadvantage (having a negative intelligence modifier). Still somehow I always managed to make great cooking rolls. Nup will always have a special place in my heart.


As I mentioned in this post, I want to include gully dwarves in my first 5th edition game. I'm sure my hex map can have a set of ruins or two populated by the dirty bastards.

I think it would also be fun to drop these guys into a Dungeon Crawl Classics game.

Gully Dwarf: Init +1, Atk sharp stick +2 melee (1d4); AC 14; HD 1d6; hp 6; MV 30'; Act 1d20; SP grovel; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1; AL N

A gully dwarf can prostrate himself before his attacker and grovel for mercy. Such a pitiful sight may cause the attacker to show mercy and/or not attack the dwarf out of contempt. The attacker must make a Will save. If the save is failed the attacker may not attack the gully dwarf for 24 hours. If the gully dwarf attacks the the person, this effect ends immediately. The gully dwarf may only use this ability on a a target once a day. This only affects creatures of near human intellect and greater, therefore most undead, constructs, and animals are immune to its effects.

Dungeon Crawl Classics: The Chained Coffin Kickstarter

Looks like I've found another Kickstarter to back. Goodman Games has a new one to fund their Dungeon Crawl Classics Adventure, The Chained Coffin. They preface the project by saying that the adventure was going to be made whether it's funded or not. The funding is to include a spinning puzzle wheel in the back of the book. The puzzle makes me think of a more complex version of the claw puzzles in Skyrim. I have a 3.5 DCC adventure that features something similar. Now on to The Chained Coffin.

I love the cover art:

Negotiating with Ol' Blackcloak

Reading the description of the adventure has me excited. It's inspired by the Manly Wade Wellman Silver John Books. While I grew up in Ohio, the area is part of the Appalachian region and near West Virginia and Kentucky. This adventure is drawing from folklore and culture that I'm quite familiar with (and have a wonderful love/hate relationship with).

The projected has already been funded and met it's first stretch goal.  That means there will be addition sourcebook material for the Shudder Mountain region written by the author. Ol' Blackcloak (an encounter in the adventure) will also be given a patron writeup. I really hope it reaches the $9000 mark because I would love to see alternate write-ups of the featured monster, the Bad Lick Beast.


The book will also include a mini adventure that features the Rat King, an npc that appeared in the first Dungeon Crawl Classic adventure.

DCC is one of those games I've never got to play but I absolutely love. If you have a little extra cash and would like to see a fantasy adventure that's a departure from the norm, you should check this one out.

Lilith Miniature

I've been trying to figure out what I want to include in my first 5th edition campaign. Here's what I've come up with so far: witches, masked mercenaries, vampire gods, an angel hunter, a destructive nature cult (the Crushing Root), gully dwarves, the Warduke, gypsies, and Lilith.

Surprisingly I've never used Lilith in a game. I love her, but my love came a bit later in life (after I stopped running regular D&D games). My friends and I have been using miniatures a lot more and I even backed Dwarven Forges latest kickstarter. I wanted a great mini for Lilith and I think I've found one, thanks to my friend Stew.

The miniature is Marian, Bound to Pain. She is from the Braxar's War expansion of the WotC's defunct miniatures game Dreamblade. I'm going to rebase her, but she's about the size of a stander large D&D mini.

Also, just a reminder, I statted out Lilith for Swords & Wizardry here.

April A to Z Reflections Post

I wasn't on time everyday, but I finished the A to Z April Challenge again. My grandmother passed away midway through the month, so not everything got posted on time, but it did get posted. My goal was to post a new npc/organization and include some crunch with every post. I did this with most of the posts. Here's a breakdown of content.

Pathfinder
new equipment - 1
new feat - 1
new deity - 1

B/X, OSR, Lamentations of the Flame Princess
new npc (with stats) - 17 (a majority were rogues/assassins or spellcasters)
new equipment/magic item - 3 (3 reposted from earlier posts)
new spells/effects - 7
new monster stats - 1 (1 reposted from earlier post)

All in all not bad. I didn't visit as many blogs as I'd like, but I did really enjoy what I looked at.

Also, I just wanted to point this out. Not that many followers, but that's not a bad pageview count.

Succubus Sunday -- FFXIV

The images below are concept art and screen shots of succubi from Final Fantasy XIV.

Free Comic Book Day 2014

This just showed up in my Facebook news feed and I wanted to share it with you fine folks:

"Coming Free Comic Book Day 2014! After you grab your comics, don't forget to grab our free superhero adventure that includes characters from Sketchpad Studio, Xion Studios, September17 Productions, Fainting Goat Games, DWR Game Studio, and Hazard Studio! Available for Mutants & Masterminds 3e, Icons or Supers! Revised. Grab your FREE copy Saturday, May 3rd!"

Free Comic Book Day is a really cool event and I love superhero rpg's. I've never played (or heard of Supers!), but I love M&M and have thought about picking up Icons.